Drevaniz

The genus name Suminia honors Russian paleontologist D. L. Sumin, who led the excavation where it was discovered. The species name getmanovi honors S. N. Getmanov, the researcher who found the primary skeleton in 1990.

Drevaniz is the combination of Russian: древо "drevo" and Permyak: низь "niz'", means "tree sable".

Suminia was a small animal, with a length of around 50 cm (20 inches) between the tip of its tail and its nose. Its torso was slender, its neck was short, and its hands and feet made up almost 40% of its limb length. The eye orbits, which made up about one-third of the skull's length, were remarkably enormous and the skull itself was small (~58 mm). Its broad, serrated teeth were designed specifically to shred plant material with a high fiber content. Suminia was able to grasp branches with a pincer-like grip because it had opposable thumbs (a divergent first digit) on both hands and feet. Its long, powerful, and probably prehensile tail used as a "fifth hand" to aid with balance and tree-clinging.

Suminia belong to the monophyly/infraorder Venyukovioidea, a sub clade of basal anomodonts.

Suminia was a pioneer climber who combined agility, herbivory, and warm-blooded characteristics – an early attempt in the evolution of mammal-like lifestyles. Suminia possessed large eye sockets, indicating high depth perception, which is important for crossing forest canopies. This species is possibly warm-blooded or semi-endothermic, indicating the evolution of mammal-like metabolism.

Suminia occupied a niche comparable to current squirrels or tree-dwelling herbivores. They ate soft leaves, shoots, and stems high in trees that few other creatures could reach. Suminia was hunted by terrestrial predators including gorgonopsids (saber-toothed Permian carnivores).

Suminia is a herbivore that eats tender leaves, seed fern fronds, early conifer shoots, and possibly fruits or sporangia of tree ferns. Adaptations to arboreal lifestyle are understood to evolve through convergent evolution. However, many arboreal vertebrates share similar physical mechanisms (grasping, clinging, hooking). Suminia is referred to as the earliest known arboreal tetrapod due to the suggested grasping abilities inferred from the notably enlarged and phalangiform carpal 1 and tarsal 1 which indicate that they possess a divergent first digit, capable of grasping.

Although Suminia is not directly known, it is probably consumed by amphibians, early reptile-like predators, or terrestrial big therapsid carnivores like gorgonopsians. Its capacity to climb trees most likely developed to protect it from ground predators.

Reproduction

The primary mode of reproduction is most likely egg-laying (oviparous), as seen in most early amniotes, with little or no parental care.

• No direct fossil evidence

• As a synapsid, it likely egg-laying (primitive amniote trait)

• No parental care evidence, but unknown

Suminia is passive and runs away or climbs up to the trees. Suminia's usual day likely included climbing branches in search of soft plant material, grooming or sleeping in shaded canopies, watching for predators below, and occasionally descending to drink or move between trees. Suminia is most likely diurnal (active during the day), and it uses eyesight for climbing and foraging. Suminia is an agile climber, relying on her grabbing arms and tail to stay stable among trees.

Their social life may have been similar to that of current tree herbivores, with small family groups or pairs living together. Suminia may defend a small feeding territory under treetops. This species avoided danger by climbing or hiding in foliage rather than running. Suminia was shy and harmless if it existed today. It is comparable to an arboreal herbivore pet that might be easily tamed. Although it would be wonderful to observe, Suminia would probably consider humans to be enormous, walking predators.

Suminia is likely wiped out during the Permian–Triassic extinction event (~252 million years ago).

It likely causes include:

• Massive volcanic eruptions

• Climate change

• Ecosystem collapse

Its fossil localities are primarily derived from the Kotel’nich locality of the Kirov region in Russia. However, there have been some isolated specimens found in a few different localities, all from eastern European regions of Russia. Suminia provides anatomical evidence that it lived among the trees, stamping a significant mark in evolutionary history for arboreal lifestyles.

• Movement Pattern: Not a Migrant

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: 0

• Locomotion: Terrestrial

• Habitat: Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Stone Forest; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Cold Bamboo Forests; Tropical Bamboo Forests; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Warm Ghost Town; Cold Ghost Town; Ruined Skyscraper.

• Earth: 

  • Extinct: Kazakhstan; Russia

Rapunzel's world

If a synapsid isn't already tamed, Suminia can be tamed using its seeds, shoots, flower buds, and leaves, all of which can be acquired from a variety of sources. Suminia would be the perfect "exotic" pet, like to owning a chameleon or sugar glider but with the additional complication of a Permian diet. For a little arboreal species, however, their "bathroom habits" would be highly significant due to their high-fiber digestive tract.

Our world

They would be the ultimate "exotic" pet—similar to keeping a sugar glider or a chameleon, but with the added complexity of a Permian diet. However, their high-fiber digestive system would make their "bathroom habits" quite significant for a small animal.

Coming soon

• ???

• Russian: Суминия (Suminiya)

• The first Anomodontia introduced in Earth Responsibly.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suminia 

• https://fossil.fandom.com/wiki/Suminia

• http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=180710

• https://www.gbif.org/species/4817828

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Suminia-getmanovi-897672088